Method and structure for securing dental prosthesis



June 2, 1970 PETERSQN 3 ,514,859

METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR SECURING DENTAL PROSTHESIS FiledJan. 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 N VENTORS GILBERT H. PETERSON June 2, 1970 G. H. PETERSON METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR SECURING DENTAL PROSTHESIS Filed Jan. 23, 1968 2 Sheets$heet 2 INVENTORS GILBERT H. PETERSON wz/w ATTORNEY U i ed S te Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF/THE DISCLOSURE A magnet is attached to the crest of either one or both the mandible or maxilla. The magnet may be either surgically implanted under tissue on the crest of the jawbone or implanted directly into the body of the jawbone. The prosthesis includes a second magnet of opposite polarity which is attracted to the first magnet for securing the prosthesis to the crest of the jawbone. In another embodiment, a magnet and a magnetizable bar may be used in combination. The magnet attached to the crest is encapsulated in a material which is physiologically compatible with human tissue.

BACKGROUND OF- THE INVENTION Fieldof the invention 'The invention relates to a method and structure for securing artificial dentures in an oral position, and more particularly to such a method and structure using magnetization as. the securing force.

Description of prior art Artificial teeth (prosthesis) may be held in place by wiring, adhesives, and other means. However, the existing means are not always satisfactory to secure the artificial dentures in an oral position. In other words, the teeth may become loose in the mouth of a wearer. The adhesives become less effective after a period of time and lose their gripping power. The retaining strength of wiring also has a tendency to become less efiicient after it has been used.

Such means as well as other means now available are less than satisfactory. for providing security to persons requiring artificial teeth. A wearer may lackassurance that his denture will remain afiixed to his jawbone in his 5. 1

daily activities. For example, extreme embarrassment could result if a dental plate became disengaged-from its position whilethe wearer was making a sales presentation. v I

A method and structure is desired which would proinvention provides a method and structure for securing prosthesis in an oral location without adhesive, wiring,

etc., and which minimizes the problems described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a method and,means for holding prosthesis in a desired oral location by the force of magnetization between magnetic members. In a preferred embodiment, magnets of opposite polarities are connected to the prosthesis and to'the crest of a jawbone to which the prosthesis is to be secured. The magnet is enveloped in a material physiologically suited to be used orally if it does not otherwise have that characteristic.

A magnet may be imbedded in the prosthesis or affixed to a portion which is adjacent to the crest of the jawbone. Another magnet may be connected to the jawbone by surgically connecting it either subperiosteally on the crest 3,514,859 Patented June 2, 1970 j 2 of the jawbone under the tissue layers covering the crest or implanting it intraosseously into the crest of the jawbone under the tissue covering the crest so that the magnet is fixed in position.

The magnetic members can be used to secure both up: per and lower prosthesis to the upper and lower jaws.

In an alternate embodiment, one magnetic member could be a permanent magnet and the other magnetic member could be a magnetizable member.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and structure-for securing prosthesis at oral positions without the use of adhesives and wiring- It is another object of this invention to provide a method and means for securing prosthesis at oral locations by using a magnetic retaining force.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and structure for securing artificial dentures in place while being used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and structure for improving the reliability with which artificial teeth are secured to jawbones.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for improving the security and confidence of a person wearing artificial dentures.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent in connection with the detailed description of drawings, a brief description of which follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magnet disposed on a thin layer of material.

FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 20 show cross-sectional views of the crest of a mandible during the steps of attaching a magnetic member to the crest.

. FIG. 2d shows a top view of a jawbone after a magnetic member has been disposed on the crest of the jawbone under the tissue layers.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the crest of a maxilla to which a magnetic member has been attached.

FIG. 4 shows a skull with prosthesis'secured in place by magnetization.

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of a magnet implanted directly into the jawbone.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows magnetic member 1 disposed on layer 2. The layer comprises a material such as Dacron or nylon mesh, or similar polyester material which is physiologically suited to tissue tolerance. In other words the layer should be a material which is not rejected by the body. The length and width of the relatively thin layer of mesh extends'beyond the edge of the magnetic member for permitting the member to be enclosed by the'material. The magnetic member has a rectangular configuration. The member may be a permanent magnet or magnetizable member approximately 20 millimeters in length and two or three millimeters'in width and h It is noted that the particular shape and size are given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. In other embodiments, the member may have a catenary configuration conforming to the shape ofthe jawbone. It could be circular in cross section or have a surface contoured to the shape of the crest of a jawbone.

a The mesh' layer and the member may be connected by immersing the member in an uncured epoxy, plastic polyester or silastic material such as rayon, Dacron or Teflon. The magnetic member is placed on the layer prior to becoming cured, or hardened, so that upon hardening, the layer and member are joined together. The layer coating the member should also be a material which is not rejected by the body.

In other embodiments, layer 2 could be formed with a'poeke't 'into"whichthe'member couldbe inserted. "Iii addition, a suitable adhesive could be used to efiect the attachment if the surfaces of the materials used are physiologically compatible with human tissue.

FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 20 show the process of attaching a magnetic member, such as the member previously described as being coated and attached to a mesh material, to the-crest of a jawbone.

FIG. 2a'shows a cross-sectioned view of mandible 20 covered by tissue layers 3 and 4.

Crest 5 of the mandible is exposed, as shown in FIG. 2b, by surgically opening the tissue layers. Magnetic member 1 encapsulated by layer 6 is disposed on top of the crest. Mesh layer 2 provides stability to the magnetic member in position on crest 5 of the jawbone. In order to further minimize the possibility that the member may be forced off the crest, the mesh material may be sutured to the tissue layer adjacent to the mandible on both sides of the crest.

FIG. 2c shows tissue layer 4 joined over the top of encapsulated member 1 by sutures 22 so that the member is surgically implanted under the tissue.

FIG. 2d shows a top view of the mandible illustrating the sutures more clearly.

Although the figures illustrate implanting a magnet under the tissue on the crest, it should be understood that the member could be implanted into the crest of the jawbone as shown in FIG. 5. As indicated therein, jawbone 21 was suitably drilled to form opening 23. Encapsulated magnetic member 24 was inserted and tissue layers 25 and 26 sutured together to complete the imlant. P Although both methods can be used, the preferred method is illustrated in FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 20.

FIG. 3 shows encapsulated member 7 surgically connected under tissue layer 8 at the crest of maxilla 9. Sutures 29 connect the tissue layers over the encapsulated member. Mesh layer 27 can be surgically stitched to tissue layer 28 for further improving the stability of the implant. The maxilla is shown to illustrate that the invention can be used in connection with either the mandible or maxilla.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of skull portion 10 including mandible .11 and maxilla 12. Upper teeth 13 are shown in their natural position connected to the maxilla. Dental plate 15 (prosthesis) is shown retained in an oral position along the crest of the mandible.

Encapsulated magnetic member 16 including a mesh layer is shown by dashed lines to illustrate the relat1ve position of the magnetic member to the dental plate and the mandible. Magnetic member 17 is also shown by dashed lines to illustrate the location of the member within the lower portion of the dental plate. Areas of the plate may be removed so that the members can be implanted, or imbedded, and sealed within the plate.

'In a preferred embodiment, both of said members are permanent magnets of opposite polarities. However, it a should be noted that if one of the members is a permanent magnet and the other is a magnetizable material, a magnetic force will be produced to secure the plate in place. For example, if one member is a magnet the other member could be a magnetizable member of carbon steel.

In one embodiment the portion of the plate adjacent to the crest could be provided with a magnetic coating and the jawbone could be provided with a permanent magnet. By placing the magnetic coating adjacent to a magnet, the coating becomes magnetized to a polarity op- 1 4- posite that of the magnet. The same change occurs when ains'gnet isplaced'adjacent to a magnetizable bar.

The spacing of the magnets (or magnet and magnetizable member) should be relatively close so that the plate is securely retained when the plate is placed in an oral place by magnetization are relatively more reliable, than position over the jawbone.

Since magnets lose relatively little, if any, of their magnetic force with age, the prosthesis would always be retained with a minimum of looseness. Adhesives, wirings, etc., are not required. Since the looseness often permitted by existing means would be reduced, more security could be realized by a user. In addition, since the holding force is unimpaired by ageor activity, prosthesis retained in certain other holding means.

Although FIG. 4 illustrates a plate and a bridge'being secured by the process and means described, it should be obvious that two dental plates, bridges, or combinations or bridges and plates could be secured to one or both of the jawbones.

In addition, it should also be noted that magnetic members in addition to the illustrated members may be used in securing a denture in place. A similar set of members preferably would be implanted on the opposite side of the mandible and denture. An additional set could also be provided along the front part of the mandible and denture. The particular example is given by way of illustration only.

I claim:

1. A method for orally securing dental prothesis comprising the steps of attaching first magnetic means to a prosthesis,

attaching second magnetic means under the tissue over the crest of a jawbone, with at least one of said magnetic means being a permanent magnet,

placing the prosthesis in position over the crest of the jawbone whereby the magnetizing force between the magnetic means secures the prosthesis in place.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said prosthesis comprises a dental plate and said attaching steps comprise attaching permanent magnets of opposite polarities to the prosthesis and partially within the crest of the jawbone.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said attaching steps comprise connecting one of said magnetic means within the crest of a mandible and the other magnetic means to the prosthesis for securing the prosthesis to the crest of said mandible and additional attaching steps for attaching magnetic means to a second prosthesis and for attaching a magnetic means at least on the crest of a maxilla, with at least one of said magnetic means being a permanent manget and placing the second prosthesis in position over the crest of the maxilla whereby the magnetizing force between the magnetic means secures the second prosthesis in place.

4 The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the second recited magnetic means is surgically connected within the crest of the maxilla.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first attaching step comprises surgically intraosseously said magnetic means within the crest of said jawbone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,709,301 5/1955 Goldsmith 32-2 ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner 

